The night arrives late in the northwest sky.
The six thousand Shadow Rider (You Qi, elite cavalry) did not march along the outer edges of the two border states flanking the Ji River. Instead, they traced a semi-arc. If the northern defensive line of the Ji River resembled a relatively straightened bowstring, then the Shadow Rider’s path was the bow’s arc. Within the area enclosed by the bowstring and the arc, many patrols of Northern Wilderness (Bei Man, northern enemy) scouts known as Malanzhi (Ma Lanzi, horse pens scouts) had left Gourd Pass (Hu Lu Kou, Gourd Pass) to prowl and probe, all to prevent the enemy’s supply lines from being ambushed by the You Qi cavalry from the flank, especially by those daring enough to operate deep behind enemy lines.
This time, Yu Luandao’s sudden advance still employed the cavalry tactic of “forced march” at an astonishing pace—six hundred miles in three days. To those who only know of military affairs from books or to common folk who have heard tales of horses galloping a thousand miles in a day, such speed might seem trivial. But if they could witness the weary state of the You Qi cavalry during their brief rest, or see nearly a hundred warhorses collapse or die upon halting, they would understand how grueling such a relentless march—meant for immediate combat—truly was.
At dusk, Xu Fengnian was washing his horse’s muzzle at a water source where winter snow had just melted. This cavalry force of six thousand had over fifteen thousand horses, nearly three per rider. Four hundred horses had died along the way, mostly Northern Wilderness horses captured after the battle north of Yin Yao City. It wasn’t that Northern Wilderness horses were inferior in stamina to You Zhou horses. In fact, the opposite was true. Though Northern Wilderness horses lacked the explosive power of Charge (chongfeng, cavalry charge) compared to the larger You Zhou warhorses, they had greater endurance. However, the two Commander of Ten Thousand (Wan Fuzhang, ten-thousand-men commanders), Hui Li Lü and Lang Si’en, had marched quickly to the north of Ji Zhou with insufficient horses per rider, often only one per two men. Even after a day of rest and feeding the horses with premium grain before the battle, their stamina wasn’t fully restored. This time, the You Qi, who had long relied on their horses like beloved companions, deliberately rode the Northern Wilderness horses more often and fed them less, leading to many of them dying from exhaustion.
After removing his armor and rolling up his sleeves, Yu Luandao carefully washed his steed’s back and smiled, “We could have saved many more horses if we had shared the burden more evenly. At most, we’d have lost fifty or sixty.”
Xu Fengnian looked around and smiled, “It’s fine this way. From tomorrow on, there will be endless battles. This march was like a test of endurance. Our cavalry is more familiar with the You Zhou horses. Better to lose a few hundred Northern Wilderness horses than lose men on the battlefield.”
Yu Luandao nodded and said softly, “Fan Fen’s three hundred scouts have been dispatched. Most groups are fifty riders, some even less. We encountered Northern Wilderness Malanzhi early this morning. To prevent our movements from being exposed, Fan Fen’s scouts must kill every enemy scout they see. If even one Northern Wilderness rider escapes, all our efforts will be in vain. I’m grateful that the Prince sent those three personal attendants to assist Fan Fen’s scouting units. With them, we have a much better chance of wiping out the Northern Wilderness Malanzhi.”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “The young woman is a senior agent of the Fu Shui Fang, the old man is a sword master at the Zhi Xuan level, and the child is Yu Dilong, my eldest disciple among three apprentices.”
Yu Luandao joked, “They’re like using a siege crossbow to kill sparrows.”
Xu Fengnian shook his head, hesitated, then smiled, “I’ll keep it a secret for now. Wait and see. There will be a little surprise for Northern Wilderness from Northern Liang.”
During this time, Xu Fengnian acted like an ordinary You Qi soldier. He did not take command from Yu Luandao but instead joined the scouts on several occasions, riding far ahead of the main force to gather intelligence. This cavalry strike was conducted as light cavalry—discarding all unnecessary supplies and reducing anything that might slow them down. Except for a few officers equipped with spears, each rider carried only a You Zhou saber and a light crossbow. Those with great strength could also carry a bow and three quivers of arrows.
The marching formation had remained in columns these past few days. Tomorrow, upon entering the combat zone, they would spread into lines. This forced march gave Xu Fengnian, who had never before mingled with the lower ranks of the border army, a new perspective. For instance, the You Zhou warhorses required no guidance—they moved in perfect synchronization with their riders. Even during temporary rest stops, the horses, no matter how hungry or thirsty, never strayed more than a few paces from their riders. This meant that even if the You Qi were ambushed by an enemy scout force that had evaded detection, the six thousand riders could mount and armor up in half a watch of the hour, ready for battle without hesitation.
Such excellence in the You Zhou horses did not come overnight. It was closely tied to the saying, “Among all the northern provinces, Northern Liang values horses the most.”
A scouting unit returned from the southwest at full gallop. Riding alongside the unit commander was a young boy with a fresh face. His horsemanship was so refined that he no longer needed to hold the reins. His hands tucked into his sleeves, he already bore a strong resemblance to his master. The commander ordered his forty riders to dismount and rest, then rode with the boy, Yu Dilong, toward General Yu Luandao and “General” Xu Fengnian. After dismounting and saluting, the commander reported that sixty miles away they had encountered a group of sixty elite Northern Wilderness Malanzhi from Long Yao Prefecture, considered the best in their garrison. They had expected a fierce battle with heavy casualties, but the boy charged ahead, leapt from his horse mid-gallop, and with his bare fists, killed over twenty riders. When the You Qi scouts finally drew their sabers and charged, it became a one-sided massacre. At one point, while still in mid-air, the boy caught an arrow aimed at the commander’s face and drove it into the leader of the Northern Wilderness Malanzhi’ neck. He then casually pushed the corpse aside, crouched on the back of a Northern Wilderness horse, and grinned at the commander as he rode past.
The battle, which should have been evenly matched, ended with only nine minor injuries among the You Qi scouts. The burly commander couldn’t help but reach out to tousle the boy’s hair, but the boy leaned sharply backward, narrowly avoiding the hand. His feet dug into the sand, and his body tilted at an extreme angle—almost falling, but not quite. This drew cheers from nearby You Qi soldiers.
Xu Fengnian looked at the boy, who was still pretending to be composed with his hands in his sleeves, and scowled, “You little brat, showing off like a master. Stand straight!”
Yu Dilong grinned, straightened up, and the commander finally managed to ruffle his hair. With calloused hands, he couldn’t help but mess up the boy’s hair. Yu Dilong rolled his eyes secretly and sighed with exaggerated maturity. Later, the commander squatted by the water and splashed some on his face. He glanced at the boy, who was drinking from the river with his mouth pressed to the surface, and smiled knowingly.
The boy was truly amazing. With one punch, he could kill a Northern Wilderness rider and even break the horse’s legs beneath him. One sweep of his arm could cut through iron armor and split a man in two. The commander sighed and whispered, “Little guy, when you’re on a battlefield with thousands of riders clashing, you need to be more careful. The Northern Barbarians (Bei Manzi, northern barbarians) are skilled archers. If they target you, a volley from all directions could be deadly. Back in the day, our old commander was also a skilled fighter, but a few arrows from the side wounded his ribs and left him with a chronic injury. That’s why he retired early from the border army.”
Yu Dilong smiled brightly and nodded, “I already know. My master told me—‘Two fists can’t fight four hands.’ Killing dozens or hundreds of enemies is different from fighting thousands or tens of thousands. Don’t worry. I’ve got sharp eyes, and even if I don’t have eyes on my back, I can still sense when someone’s trying to kill me. Besides, my master said that in Northern Liang, when you charge into battle, all you need to do is move forward. You don’t have to worry about your back. If there’s danger, your comrades will cover you.”
The commander asked, “Did the General really say that?”
The boy, who had just drunk several jin of water without fear of bloating, lifted his head and said, “Of course!”
The commander, still squatting by the water, rubbed his chin and murmured, “That’s the kind of thing only a veteran border soldier would say.”
“Oh, by the way, big guy, what’s a ‘comrade’?”
“It’s someone who fights with a You Zhou saber and crossbow, side by side with you, killing Barbarian.”
“But I don’t have a saber or crossbow. I asked my master for one the other day, but he wouldn’t give me one. So how do I count? Am I still your comrade?”
“Of course you are!”
“Then, big guy, can you give me a saber and crossbow? I’ve been eyeing them for so long. If you’re too stingy to give them, just lend them to me.”
“Little guy, it’s not that I’m stingy. Sabers, crossbows, and horses can’t be lent out freely. That’s against military law. Only when I retire can I keep a set of armor and weapons. Then I’ll give them all to you, ha ha.”
“That’s ages away. Talking to you is no fun. Oh well, my master says greed leads to failure. I should master my fists first before learning anything else. Sigh, but I really want a saber like my master, hanging at my waist.”
The commander burst into laughter at the boy’s innocent words.
Yu Dilong turned to Xu Fengnian, who stood nearby, and pleaded with wide eyes, “Master! When can I finally have my own You Zhou saber? Even the big guy says I’m his comrade!”
“You’ve only been in the northwest winds for two or three days, and you’re already calling yourself a comrade?”
Xu Fengnian laughed and gave the boy a kick on the butt. Yu Dilong tumbled forward toward the water but didn’t fall in. His hands touched the surface, leaving twin trails of water. With a slight push, he flipped into a handstand and froze motionless atop the water.
Soon, a second scouting unit returned to report to Yu Luandao. The burly commander quickly took his leave. Xu Fengnian nodded in greeting, and Yu Dilong slapped the water with his palm, springing back to shore to follow the big commander on another scouting mission.
As night fell, the You Qi cavalry had no fear of marching in darkness. The condition known as “ Night blindness” (Que Meng Yan, night blindness) might be common in southern Li Yang armies, but it was rare among the border forces. This was partly due to better provisions in border garrisons, and partly due to the rigorous selection of cavalry recruits. Of course, night raids illuminated only by a single torch per scouting unit would greatly reduce the speed of advance. Unless the mission was a precisely targeted strike, night battles were generally avoided by cavalry commanders.
The six thousand riders moved like a dragon gliding across the sands.
Suddenly, in the darkness, Xu Fengnian asked, “Yu Luandao, have you ever thought—this march takes us far from the cities of Yin Yao and Heng Shui in Ji Zhou. The Gourd Pass is blocked by nine thousand Northern Wilderness troops. Though we can sustain ourselves by seizing enemy supplies, each battle will grow harder. If the war turns against us and Northern Wilderness eventually encircles us, when all hope is lost, I and Yu Dilong with our four riders can escape. But you and your six thousand riders may not even find death within the Gourd Pass.”
Yu Luandao smiled calmly, “No wonder the Prince keeps his distance from the You Qi soldiers. Are you afraid that every glance you cast upon them might be the last they receive as living men? But General, there’s no need. From the moment we marched out, we knew what fate awaited us. These soldiers may not have read many books, or any at all. But after years of war, none are fools. Some didn’t want to die in Ji Zhou, and a thousand or more left—some out of fear, slipping away through connections, others sent away because they were only sons or too young.”
Yu Luandao’s expression grew serene, and he took a deep breath, “But those who stayed have accepted life and death. Even if some hesitated before battle, once the battle begins, no one can afford to falter. Fear of death? Of course there is. But in a cavalry charge, how long does it take to die? If your hands tremble and you fear death, you die quickly. After the charge, those who survive see their comrades falling behind them, lying alone on the battlefield. Then, naturally, they no longer fear death. War is like this. Since the General left Liaodong, the Xu family cavalry has carried a spirit. For over thirty, nearly forty years, that spirit has been tempered. That’s the only thing we’ve ever nurtured!”
Yu Luandao turned to Xu Fengnian, his face solemn and reverent, and said in a deep voice, “Most importantly, whether it’s the Xu family cavalry or the Northern Liang cavalry, no matter how many have fallen, no matter how many defeats we’ve suffered—we always win in the end! Even if only dozens or hundreds remain standing, we never fear that no one will come to bury us! The only ones who should fear are the enemies before our blades!”
Xu Fengnian remained silent for a long time, then smiled and asked, “You, a legitimate grandson of the Yu family, call yourself one of us from Beiliang—doesn’t that feel awkward?”
Yu Luandao seemed momentarily stunned, clearly never having considered the question before. He glanced down at the Da Luandao hanging at his waist, and then at the Liangdao at his other side. When he looked up again, his eyes were particularly clear as he slowly replied, “When I first arrived in Beiliang, I certainly didn’t want to call myself one of them at first. Later, I forgot exactly when I started saying it naturally. Since I don’t even remember when it happened, I suppose it must have been a natural progression, a kind of subtle transformation. I, Yu Luandao, truly love the scenery of this vast northwestern desert—it’s bleak, boundless, and magnificent. Standing within it, one feels small. Even the smell of horse dung in the military camps, after getting used to it for a while, becomes something I grow fond of. Unlike those cities in Jiangnan, filled with songs and dances and apparent prosperity, where even the finest wine eventually makes one sick after too much, and even the most expensive perfumes from beautiful women eventually become nauseating. As for the kindness of my parents raising me and the nurturing from my clan, I suppose I can only betray them in this lifetime…”
At this point, Yu Luandao removed the legendary sword “Da Luandao,” which ranked among the world’s finest blades, gently tossed it to Xu Fengnian, and smiled, “If I truly die outside the Hulu Pass, it might be hard to recover my body. In that case, my lord, you may simply place this sword within my symbolic tomb. Oh, and my lord, besides the symbolic tomb, I should also have a stone tablet in the stele forest behind Qingliang Mountain.”
Xu Fengnian tossed the priceless Da Luandao back to Yu Luandao and said with a bitter smile, “Keep it for now. Even if it’s a mission with a nine-out-of-ten chance of death, as long as it’s not certain death, don’t speak so lightly of retrieving corpses.”
As the final moments of the Yin watch approached, the sky still lacked its morning clarity.
A unit of silent cavalry scouts galloped toward them. At the front and rear rode two riders—Maochang and Mi Fengjie, who had already torn off the cloth covering his sword case. The maochang reported to Colonel Fan Fen, “Forty miles to the northwest, judging by the usual brightness of the torches used by the Beiman night marchers, there are over 2,400 cavalry guarding a large grain convoy heading south. The horses are probably allocated at a rate of three per two riders.”
Fan Fen relayed to the commanding general Yu Luandao and his deputy Shi Yulu, “Besides the 2,400 cavalry, the number of support troops and civilian laborers should be no less than that.”
Perhaps fearing that Xu Fengnian was unfamiliar with the Beiman situation, Fan Fen added a few more sentences of explanation, “Every year the Beiman raid southward, they conscript extensively from the grassland tribes. If they send out 100,000 cavalry, they often bring no fewer than 200,000 civilians and millions of cattle and sheep. They empty entire cities in the Southern Court. Contrary to what people in the Central Plains imagine, during the Yonghui era, whenever the Beiman cavalry invaded through Jizhou, unless they completely crossed the entire Jizhou region and deeply penetrated into the heartland of the Central Plains, there was never a supply line for provisions extending over 500 miles. After a battle, they could quickly return for resupply. Moreover, their support troops are practically equal to most of the combat troops of the Liyang forces outside the border armies, and perhaps even more formidable, because as long as they are given a bow and a horse, they can instantly become regular cavalry. In many historical battles fought within the southern borders of Jizhou, Liyang forces attempting to ambush supply lines suffered great losses precisely because of this. Therefore, this time, we must at least calculate their forces as no less than 4,000 or even 5,000 cavalry…”
Xu Fengnian said nothing, listening carefully all the while. It was only when Shi Yulu coughed slightly that Fan Fen hastily closed his mouth.
Only then did Xu Fengnian smile and speak, “Colonel Fan, I have been to Beiman before and personally witnessed their methods of transporting supplies. I have some understanding of their combat strength. Right now, I am simply an ordinary cavalryman, only responsible for charging into battle when the time comes.”
Deputy General Su Wen Yao, clearly embarrassed, pointed his horsewhip at Fan Fen and laughed mockingly, “Get out of here! Don’t chatter on and risk delaying military affairs. When our prince was learning military strategy from those generals, you were still playing in the dirt with your pants down!”
Fan Fen, his face reddening, scratched his head and rode away. Without waiting for orders from Yu Luandao and the other officers to scout again, he personally led his subordinates to reconnoiter. It was only after his horse had galloped half a mile away that the colonel suddenly realized something was off—he was already in his early forties. Logically, when he was playing in the dirt, the prince hadn’t even been born yet!
When Yu Luandao ordered the “half-force” combat deployment, the command was swiftly and accurately relayed down the chain of command.
The six thousand cavalry immediately entered a combat-ready state.
Compared to all other armies in the world, the Beiliang army had one peculiar trait that left many puzzled—it already possessed the strongest combat capability under heaven, yet it continued year after year to refine even the smallest details. Especially after Chen Zhibao became the Beiliang commander, this pursuit of perfection reached a level of mastery. Thus, in the Liyang imperial court, there were even civil officials who joked that there was a place where even the commander had to concern himself with where the latrines in the camps were built. Did that mean even the time for defecation had to follow strict rules? As it turned out, it was indeed true. During wartime, after setting up camp, the Beiliang army actually regulated how long soldiers could spend using the latrines. Their daily routines—eating, drinking, defecating, sleeping—all had detailed regulations. Even in peacetime, if there were rats in the camp, or if cicadas chirped in summer or snow accumulated in winter—these seemingly trivial matters—were all subject to strict and severe accountability.
If the Beiman were a people of the horse, natural-born warriors,
Then the 300,000 Beiliang border troops were warriors forged bit by bit into war fanatics.
From the highest generals and officers down to the lowest soldiers and squad leaders, everyone knew exactly what to do—and what not to do—when war came. You didn’t even need to think about what to do; everything became second nature. Because those countless rules drilled into them with the rod were deeply etched into their bones.
As for those with higher ranks and grander titles, it was simple—they meant military merit.
The Beiliang army had always been strict in rewarding and punishing. Take corruption, for example. In other parts of Liyang, it might have already become commonplace. Beiliang dared not claim to have eradicated corruption entirely, and the families of military officers far from the border were no less ruthless in amassing wealth than elsewhere. But within the border forces, once corruption was confirmed—even if it was just a few taels of relief silver embezzled—the officer directly handling the funds would be executed on the spot by the military law division. The superior officers of the corrupt official, up to three levels above, would all be demoted. Li De Gong, the civil administrator of the Beiliang Circuit, once privately made a meaningful remark: the descendants of military families in Lingzhou were so greedy simply because they had been starved of wealth for too long. However, Beiliang was never stingy with rewarding military achievements. Whether it was cutting off a few enemy heads or more, promotions were immediate, and after returning, rewards in silver were given on the spot in the camps. The silver was displayed in large chests filled with shining coins, and soldiers could take their share on the spot. The border army even had special mounted couriers responsible for helping transport the silver out of the border regions.
When Xu Shao first captured the palace of the Northern Han, the first thing he did was open the treasury and distribute the silver! At that time, a certain eunuch serving as a supervisor in the Liyang dynasty kindly warned him to be cautious of impeachment from the imperial court. Xu Shao simply replied with one sentence: “Once it’s eaten, you can’t turn it back into silver. If they want it, I’ll just bring my troops to camp outside their gates.”
The six thousand cavalry from Youzhou certainly wouldn’t rush headlong at the mere scent of prey forty miles away. Yu Luandao’s order was for a “half-force” to attack first. When the six thousand riders, led by the vanguard unit responsible for selecting the route, advanced rapidly for thirty miles, they began simultaneously switching horses. Dismounting and remounting was almost completely silent. Three thousand riders began to move forward “slowly” on single horses, while the remaining three thousand did not rush into battle but instead divided into a central command of a thousand riders and two wings of a thousand each. Nearly ten thousand spare horses were temporarily managed by these stationary three thousand riders.
The sky was just beginning to brighten.
At this time, the three thousand riders were only five miles from the Beiman enemy forces.
The Beiman were not blind either. The several patrols they had sent east were nearly all dead, and although the few riders who managed to return couldn’t even determine the exact number of enemy troops, the Beiman army had specialized “earth-listening soldiers” under each thousand-man commander. These soldiers would press their ears to the ground, and although their estimates were not entirely accurate, they would not mistake thousands of riders for hundreds. Upon hearing that at least two thousand enemy riders had appeared, the two thousand-man commanders, shocked but quick to react, rapidly deployed a cavalry front stretching north to south. The support troops were also hastily mounted as a second wave of fresh forces, ready to enter the battlefield at any moment.
The Western Leibi War, which had lasted for years between Liyang and Chu, began as a conflict of seventy or eighty thousand versus over a hundred thousand, and eventually escalated into a massive confrontation where both sides poured in nearly their entire national strength—hundreds of thousands against hundreds of thousands. With continuous casualties and reinforcements, both sides fought countless battles, some brilliant, some tragic. From these battles, future military strategists learned a crucial lesson: in wars where the forces were evenly matched and morale was similar, those who recklessly committed all their forces at the beginning, without reserving elite troops to deliver the decisive blow at the critical moment, often suffered devastating defeats. This was precisely why Chen Zhibao was able to rise above all others, becoming the only young general whose achievements and reputation could rival the Four Great Generals of the Spring and Autumn Periods. It was under his command that numerous classic battles were fought—battles where he turned the tide from disadvantage to victory, and in every battle where he held a numerical advantage, he had never once lost.
The two armies stood facing each other at a distance.
Each side had already stretched their battle lines to what they considered the optimal width.
When the two thousand-man commanders saw that banner, all hope vanished—they knew it was really him.
“Xu!”
Regardless of why a cavalry force of around three thousand had appeared outside the Hulu Pass, it was indeed the real, legendary Beiliang Iron Cavalry!
The Beiliang cavalry advanced steadily and calmly.
“Kill!”
Unable to endure the suffocating tension any longer, the 2,400 Beiman riders spurred their horses to their maximum speed, launching a rapid charge. The roaring battle cries of the Beiman riders shook the heavens.
On the opposing side, the two deputy commanders of the Youzhou cavalry, who had not yet charged, suddenly pressed their knees into their horses’ flanks. As they rode forward, they slightly altered their course, approaching the single rider positioned at the center of the cavalry line. Shi Yulu laughed loudly, “It is a great honor for this officer to fight side by side with the Great General!”
Su Wen Yao also said, “What General Shi has said is exactly what I feel.”
The single rider said nothing, only nodding with a smile.
Near this rider, the cavalry formation seemed to open up a space—a deliberate gap, as per General Yu Luandao’s specific orders.
After the two deputies returned to their original positions,
Yu Luandao drew his Liangdao, raised it high, and then swept it forward lightly.
Charge!
There was no deafening roar of battle cries like the Beiman.
Only the sound of swords being drawn and hooves pounding the earth.
Although the three thousand Youzhou riders were silent, each soldier’s eyes burned with unwavering determination and fiery passion.
We have never fought side by side with General Xu Shao before.
But now we do.
In the future, our comrades in the Beiliang border army will admire us as we once admired those colonels, officers, and generals.
Even if we may never see their admiration with our own eyes again,
There is no “but” anymore.
Let us die in battle beyond the Hulu Pass!
The two armies clashed, passing each other in a single instant.
Blades met blades.
The remaining 2,600 Youzhou cavalry did not turn their horses around but charged straight toward the more than two thousand Beiman support riders.
In the blink of an eye, the two Beiman thousand-man commanders were dead, and half of the twenty-odd hundred-man commanders had fallen.
Nearly nine hundred of the 2,400 riders had died.
As they hesitated, uncertain whether to continue fighting or flee and abandon the supply train, a thousand Youzhou riders charged in from a distance, while another thousand each from the left and right wings crashed into the battlefield in column formation, giving them no path to survival—only the choice to fight desperately.
All surviving hundred-man commanders were filled with fear and disbelief. Though they were not elite border cavalry, these Beiliang riders were only light cavalry from Youzhou. How could the first charge result in such devastating losses?
An hour later,
The six thousand Youzhou riders had completely annihilated the Beiman force of 5,600 riders, including both combat and support troops.
Under interrogation, they learned that another 1,200 riders would be escorting supplies from 150 miles to the north. Quietly selecting all the unharmed horses from the battlefield, the five thousand Youzhou riders began marching northward.
Actually, 5,200 Youzhou riders had survived, but two hundred were severely wounded. They would retrace their path, heading eastward and eventually southward at the Hedong border.
But everyone knew that even the safest eastern route would still attract swarms of Beiman scouts drawn by the scent of blood.
To keep up with the main force?
This was a campaign of rapid pursuit.
Riders who could barely march on horseback would only be a burden. After one battle, yes—but after the second or third?
This Youzhou cavalry force would become increasingly burdened, leading to even more comrades—those who could have slain many more Beiman savages—being killed.
The two hundred riders were led by a severely wounded officer, who had voluntarily requested to take the wounded eastward. Yu Luandao did not refuse.
The man who had single-handedly killed four hundred Beiman riders said nothing.
The officer looked northward and smiled bitterly.
Brothers, it’s up to you now.
A burden?
Yes, we two hundred are indeed a burden.
What was there to be ashamed of? The old man simply had no more Beiman to kill in front of him—if there were, it would be better. Dying in battle was preferable to dying from the jolts of the journey—killing as many as possible before the end.
Suddenly, a single rider broke away from the formation and galloped toward them.
It was the young woman by his side, a delicate and pretty wife who, not long ago, had killed people so fiercely that this officer had felt chills down his spine.
She carried a medicine case on her back and said calmly, “He sent me to escort you to Hedong.”
Two hundred riders were all stunned into silence.
The officer shouted, “We don’t need your concern! Just kill another two or three hundred Northern Mang barbarians for us, and you’ll break even!”
She cast a cold glance at the officer, “Your voice carries quite well; it seems you won’t die anytime soon. Why don’t you try shouting at him instead? Besides, only his command can send me back, or if you can defeat me. But can you?”
The officer’s face flushed red, “If it weren’t for these six wounds I received!”
She slightly curled her lips, asking, “So what?”
The officer swallowed his words, his momentum weakened, “I still can’t beat you.”
Fan Xiaocha calmly said, “Rest assured, he asked me to pass on a message: take good care of them and bring them back alive to Youzhou. As for killing the barbarians, both your share and mine, he will make up for it.”
At this moment, the sound of someone falling from a horse echoed through the ranks.
Someone had died.
Fan Xiaocha glanced over, “Take the body with you. As long as you don’t run into more than five hundred riders, you can move as slowly as you like; I’ll ensure your safety.”
The officer dismounted swiftly and hurried to kneel beside the corpse. A cavalryman, whose left leg had been badly torn and hastily bandaged, knelt beside the officer and the body. He had sustained relatively minor injuries earlier, so he shared a horse with his wounded comrade. One hand held the reins, while the other reached around to support his companion—but even so, he couldn’t save him.
Whether it was the fall from the horse or death on the journey back.
The soldier raised his arm to wipe his eyes, sobbing, “His last words before falling were that he hadn’t killed enough Northern Mang barbarians in this life, and in the next, he’d be reborn in our Beiliang.”
Fan Xiaocha turned her head slightly, lifting her face so no one could see her eyes.
Grandfather, Father, you losing to these iron riders of the Xu family—there’s no shame in that.
※※※
Further north, Yu Lu Dao, for the first time ever, wore a furious expression, “After the next battle ends, will it be time for Mi Fengjie to go? If we fight another battle, will it be Yudi Long’s turn next?! Then what about you?”
Xu Fengnian nodded.
Yu Lu Dao was about to speak when Xu Fengnian turned calmly to the Youzhou cavalry commander and said, “I will stay until all of you are dead. If the Northern Mang can even manage to kill me, then they truly deserve the credit.”
Yu Lu Dao was truly furious—never before had he been so angry, “Damn it, I just can’t beat you!”
Shi Yulu said solemnly, “Prince.”
Xu Fengnian smiled, “I know the difference between what’s important and what’s not. Before coming to Jizhou, Huangfu Ping had already warned me. Rest assured, I’ll repeat my words: as long as the Northern Court Grand Prince doesn’t personally come here from Liuzhou, I can leave whenever I want. Moreover, the Northern Mang’s cultivators are nearly all dead, while we still have the Nanhai Guanyin Sect. Right now, I know where Tuoba Pusa is, but he doesn’t know where I am. Even if danger truly arises, I can learn of it in advance. Furthermore, if Tuoba Pusa really wants to come, he must pass through two checkpoints—one guarded by Xu Yanbing, the other by the hundred riders and swords of the Wu family.”
Yu Lu Dao snorted coldly.
Xu Fengnian gazed into the distance, suddenly whispering softly, “I’m sorry.”
Yu Lu Dao, Shi Yulu, Su Wenyao, Mi Fengjie, Yudi Long, and the dozen or so riders nearby all fell silent.
Then, almost simultaneously, Yu Lu Dao, Shi Yulu, and Su Wenyao began softly humming a song.
“The Glorious Elegy of Beiliang.”
Farewell to fallen comrades!
Walk well!
Yudi Long had never heard this song before, but he joined in with a weeping voice.
He finally wore the Beiliang saber.
Tightly bound on his horse’s back was a suit of iron armor.
He had taken it from the corpse of that tall scout battalion chief.
Even now, Yudi Long still didn’t know the giant’s name.
His master had told him to bring it back to Youzhou.
Yudi Long pressed his lips together, fiercely wiped his eyes with one hand, gripped the hilt tightly, and choked up, “Big guy, before my master drives me away, I promised you something back then—it wasn’t just bravado. I, Yudi Long, will fulfill it—kill a thousand Northern Mang barbarians!”
A mournful song echoed through heaven and earth.
It spread across the five thousand riders of Youzhou.
They all softly hummed along.
Thus, they marched forth with valor toward death.
Among the countless households of Beiliang, how many iron-clad warriors have turned to dry bones?
Let fame and glory be poured into a single cup of wine—tell me, how many handfuls of earth remain for emperors and generals?
…
Brave lads, don’t speak of heroes across the world falling into your snare.
Lovely lasses, don’t hide your yearnings deep within your heart.
…
Come, come, come, listen who beats the drum for beauties.
Come, come, come, see who is the devil of the mortal world.
Come, come, come, tell me who will join me in chasing the deer…
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage